A Chaos, Chaos
by AbyssalWolf
Summary: Seam has been alone for years, so what will he think of his old friend?
1. Seam

Three figures. Alone in the darkened hall. A doorway, a choice. The leader, clad in blue, turned to the other two for help. Feeling the ominous atmosphere that hung over their heads, they both shook their heads and stepped back. The one remaining faced the door, the dark void that they had created, and felt that premonition of danger. As curious as they were, their safety came first, and ot was a shared, unkown instinct that if they stepped through, they would not come out unharmed. Tearing their eyes away from what could have been, they turned and continued back the way they came.

The door remained open...

It had been some time since Seam had worked at the castle. It had become distant memory of laughter and cheers, worn away by the ages of time he had spent behind his counter. He missed it, sometimes, the roar of the crowd after a particularly good trick, the pride felt in completing a new act. But what stuck in his mind most was _him._ Such an extrodinary person, so lively, so witty. One to match him and challenge him in every way. Although he had met so many people, travellers, guards, anyone who had stopped by, he had never had another friend like him. And a part of him still longed for that relief from the constant pang of sadness.

But, there could be nothing done about that now. He was trapped within the deepest depths of the castle's dungeon, so far away from his little 'seap' out here in the field. It was no use moping about the past when there was nothing you could do to change it. Although, melancholy was a nice way to pass the time. Considering that there was little to no use doing much else. The world was changing, and growing darker by the minute, as far as Seam was concerned, there was nothing that he could do to stop it. But the days did grow tiring as ever, and he could not stop thinking about his lost friend. Perhaps it would have been nicer with some chaos around...

As if an answer to his prayers, a figure burst into his shop, puffing and panting before straightening up. "King... come find you... escape..." The Rudinn Ranger managed to say between his gasps for air. Leaning over the counter the old cat peered worryingly at the guest. _What is a Ranger doing all the way out here? I thought they only stayed in the castle. So what could possibly be so important that they've been sent all the way out here? And to_ me _of all people?_ As soon as the Rudinn had regained enough breath to construct a coherent sentence, he blurted out all the information that the shopkeeper needed at a speed . "Sirthekingsentmethere'saprisonerwhoescapedforsomereasonhethought _you_ wouldbeabletohelp. But I must get back, protect the castle. Long live the king!" With that, he left the shop just as hurriedly as he came, not giving Seam any time to register what he had just said. When the information sank in, it clicked in his mind, and the answer chilled him to the core of his cotton.

 _He_ was free.

In the distant, he could hear the faint sparkling of the Ranger, but one other sound caught his attention. The tinkling of bells. There was a silence for a moment, and the sound of a sword being drawn. A swish, a clink, and a maniacal laugh. All was quiet aside from the thump of a body on the floor, and the warning of the bells, drawing closer by the minute. _He's coming._

A few minutes passed in anxious anticipation, as the jingling grew nearer and nearer, until it was accompanied by the bell on his door ringing in harmony. He turned away from the front of the counter, afraid of what he might find, and soft footsteps fell on the carpet, creeping towards him. Closer, closer, and faster, faster his tension grew. He could almost feel the breath on his fur, and he could not resist any longer. He turned around and stared into those peircing, yellow eyes, and the pale, round face he knew so well.

"It's been a long time, Jevil"


	2. Jevil

"Too long, long, it has been."

Although there was no noticeable difference in his friend's appearance, Seam felt as though something had changed. The smaller figure spoke quietly, comfort lacing his voice, a tone the old shopkeeper had rarely heard used. But, they hadn't seen each other for years, and they were good friends. Maybe that was all that had happened.

"It has, hasn't it."

"The old magician sent to his 'seap'. How goes it?"

"Ah well, you know. Many passersby stop, with a light shining in their eye. Useless when your entire world is bound to the darkness itself."

A warm, purring chuckle rumbled deep in Seam, and a small, high-pitched giggle accompanied it. It made his worn face break into one of the happiest smiles he had felt in such a long time, to see his friend reunited and sharing a laugh like old times. How his every fibre yearned for more.

"Good, good, you fare well, well"

"Indeed, my friend."

There was his round about way of speaking, much like his own yet unlike it in many ways. The cryptic sentences that could mean so many things, but Seam seemed to always understand. How could you express your if you had no-one who could listen?

But, though the little jester who had been so eager to back in the day, he sat there in an awkward silence that stretched on in the cool, dusky air. Seam was forced to break it, and did so without thinking, resulting in an ever-tactless question:

"So, what have you been doing?"

Jevil stiffened for a moment, but nothing more, and even Seam's quick gaze did not catch it, or perhaps he wasn't looking hard enough. He was oblivious, and the guest went on to answer, though not without a hesitation, but that too went unnoticed.

"Oh, not much, not much. A trick, a game, not fun, fun without an audience"

"Oh? I would enjoy seeing it."

"A performance, a show? Such fun, such fun, a treat just for you!"

"Do you remember the devilsknife? A trick, trick it shall be used."

Of course Seam remembered. The spinning tool that his counterpart had used in their shows, for juggling and throwing, though they would never have hurt them. It was one of the only pieces of magic the jester could do, though, it was a skill that only he could use.

Turning back to the counter, the cat found Jevil summoning one, the bright colours shimmering and glowing, as they formed a shape in the magic mist. But, the light grew brighter, and his head turned away to avoid its blinding beams. He turned back to find something very different...

Instead if the small striped knives he had grown accustomed to seeing, a scythe, bigger than the body if the little devil himself was held in his arms. A long, straight handle painted with purple and green, though with darker tones absorbed from the cell it had been kept in. A wickedly sharp blade curved around, polished metal surface gleaming in the lantern light, casting shadows along it's length.

Jevil himself had also changed, his quiet demeanour from earlier fading away as chaos shone in his eyes, a grin too big for his face stretching from ear to ear. It was now that Seam knew what had changed. The warm fire in his eyes had turned cold and hard, such as the blade of the weapon he held. He had not forgiven his friend, as he had once thought. No, he had it play over in his head for a thousand years, bitterness seeping into his very soul.

While those who lived outside used their magic, he had grown strong, the second fountain made it so, Seam didn't stand a chance. The devil managed to flip over the counter and with a flash, the shopkeeper found himself with that scythe pressed against his neck, and a frosty voice whispering in his ear.

"Enjoy the show"


	3. Game

Seam didn't even have time to respond as the blade grew nearer, closer and closer to his cotton. Yellowing teeth slid across his neck, snagging and tugging just enough to aquire winces of pain, warnings, and only warnings that if he slipped up he would be completely at the other's mercy, a ragdoll waiting to be thrown away.

But Jevil wasn't planning on that yet. No, he had to have some _fun_ with his toy, didn't he? And he wanted _answers_. He bent down, sickening grin plastered across his face, and whispered in Seam's ear, "Why?"

The cat's ears perked up, and he tried an upwards glance at the jester. Not finding any consequences for sight, he sought out his voice, croaky and rasping from the insufficient amount of oxygen he was receiving. "What do you mean?"

"Oh you should know exactly what I mean. Away, away so many years, passing, passing"

The shopkeeper blurted out the first excuse he had; "I didn't know!" It was a mistake. The scythe pressed ever nearer, and a disbelieving screech arose from its owner.

"YOU DIDN'T KNOW?! YOU LOCKED ME UP, LEFT ME. SO ALONE, ALONE, NO ONE TO COME, A SOUL, A TRUTH, UNHEARD, UNHEARD"

"I didn't know! I thought you would have been kept with the other prisoners, w-with company, I mean to say"

"And yet, not a word, not a word, sending children to come, for a friend, friend? Or was I mistaken by a misleading past?" Honey-sweet words dripped sarcastically from his mouth, a terrifying effect for one that looked so simply _nice. "You thought I had gone"_

Seam had been listening to his friend seemingly interested, an actor's performance that had slipped by, allowing a surprise to ensure when the jester had an attack find its way past his defences, startling him so that his devilsknife faltered for a second. It was only a second, but the magician had not forgotten all he had learned, and had swiftly escaped before any harm could come to him.

Jevil shook himself off and gripped his weapon with a newfound purpose. Without turning his body, he tilted his head, and the air hummed with an electric atmosphere, chaotic and terrifying. Voice deadly quiet, he calmly said "So that's how you want to play, huh?"

"What ever happened to you? How you have changed, it's my fault"

"Fault? No, a fault it is not." Still facing away, he shook his head as an adult would do to a child, laughing at their naivety, somewhat wishing that they were as clueless about the wayas of the world. "I have realised the truth, and it set me free, free!"

Seam found it recalling memories he did not want to experience again. _Jevil, wandering the empty halls, hollow laughter echoing off the walls. Jevil, speaking of a truth, and the great unkowing that the land had fallen to. Jevil, standing above a body, madness streaming from his tongue, insane, but somehow more knowledgeable than they could have concieved._ The time he had been forced to choose between his friend and his kingdom, had he chosen wrong? "Perhaps, just maybe, I could join? The world has grown tiresome, and I too have grown tired. Perhaps, a little chaos would be fun"

"Do you seek, seek? Truth, freedom, that's what you wish?"

"Yes, there is nothing left of this world, the dark and empty shell it has become"

The grin became (if possible) wider, and though the magician could not see it, he could feel the air crackle with a twisted joy. "Not the truth, truth. That is not it, then. No, you will be free, free!"

Seam's own smile faltered. _He talks of freedom, the truth defining it. And yet he denies it at the same time?_ His brow creased, but he held his guard up, wary of his partner, who still had not faced him. "And how would I become freed?"

"Oh, simple, easy, a numbers game will suffice"

A numbers game? The course of his future was being decided upon nothing but a childish whim? But of course there would be something harder than that, surely? Not a challenge at all. "If that is how fate is decided, so be it! Let us play, shall we?"

Head turned slightly so only half his face was visible, shadows warping his features until they looked grotesque, insanity gleaming in his eyes.

"Let the games begin!"


	4. End

p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ecb9633ac7159292589a924d74945da9"A spade flew startlingly fast at Seam, leaving him no extra time to dodge or defend himself as he dove out of its path. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Have you lost your touch? That's no fun, fun"/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="db006198a416d1b96d3c1009317db1d4"A flurry of clubs exploded behind him, punctuating his words as the shopkeeper was forced to summon his gnarled staves to swat them away, spinning so fast their motion became a blur. As soon as the bullets made contact, they disintegrated, harmless splinters flying across the floor. Curling his lip and looking satisfied at his work, he turned his head to his partner and said cockily "Not so bad, huh?"/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9cb38c864aaaf5cc7de53b1a85edc3ca"That was when the club hit his head hard. It knocked him forwards, and he felt the HP drain just that little bit. It wasn't a hard hit, not by any means, but it did scare him. Jevil was the one who could talk, relax, and remain fully in control. And though Seam had often wanted a way to leave this place behind, dying was not the way he wanted to go, not without him digging his heels in all the way. He clenched his open palm into a fist and the staves flew into circles around Jevil, closing in quickly, but he just swatted them away with a spade and it disintegrated harmlessly./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2f0f6a08e06b58537682f36e16035d61""Selfish, selfish" Jevil shook his head mockingly, and sent another wave of clubs a him. Seam was startled for a second. "What do you mean?" Jevil just shook his head once more and summoned diamonds that shot like arrows seeking a target. One sliced past his arm, leaving a line of stuffing to fall out. He clutched it and glared at the jester, realising that it was all just a game to him. Did he even care about anything anymore?/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fd6db385713ebf911c8b139a59f7d55f""I used to care, care." Jevil stated, as if answering the unasked question. "I was freed, and saw the truth. I offered it, but my friend, friend... they would only play the game, and refused. A fool, fool." He sliced the pearl that had been coming from behind without even turning to look. Instead, he kept his intense stare focused on the magician. "I came to do the same you did you me, but you refuse!" Sythes spun at high speeds and hurled themselves away, breaking some of the artifacts that lined the walls, and Seam had to dodge the shrapnel of broken porcelain and glass. He did not miss, however the heart that flew straight at his chest, slicing right a hole right through him./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b1f1e52657d4ae09755094b29aa921b4"The impact sent him falling backwards against the floor covered in the splinters of attacks, and held onto his thin string of consciousness like a lifeline. "You have determination, but it is not enough." Seam could not move, paralysed as he started to slip away. The last words he heard as he felt himself falling into the darkness were cold and bitter./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a054cd7c68331e2de47e49f0ecfbec42""Enjoy your freedom, em style="box-sizing: border-box;"friend/em"/p 


End file.
